LeBron James holds his passion on his sleeve. It’s what makes him one of the best players ever. It also causes him to be on the receiving end of some pretty big criticism from pundits and fans around the NBA world.
During a timeout in a drama-filled late-game sequence against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, King James was about as fiery as you will see him on the bench.
Getting in Kyrie Irving’s face and making contact with the fellow Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star, it appeared as if James was trying to detail something going on in the game.
Irving wasn’t having any of it:
https://vine.co/v/ijruQv3PAu5
It came with Cleveland up one and less than 26 seconds remaining in overtime. More than anything, it seemed like James was just trying to explain what the next play would be. The forward had just grabbed a rebound to give Cleveland possession of the ball.
With that, the Hawks were forced to foul the following possession, giving Irving two free throws and pretty much putting the game away.
If body language is any indication (it normally is), Irving obviously wasn’t having any of James’ pep talk.
In any event, it seemed to be a pretty interesting give and “take” at the end of an important Cavaliers road win over Atlanta.